IELTS Speaking Part 2
Describe a (recent) time when you looked at the sky (either day or night)
You should say:
• what you were doing when you looked at the sky
• who you were with
• what you saw
And explain how you felt when you looked at the sky.
Answer
Last week, my friends and I decided to go camping on the outskirts for the weekend.
Living in a big city doesn’t offer me much of a chance to enjoy the sky at night because of the pollution, the lights, and the skyscrapers. That’s the reason why I liked this short trip so much because I could enjoy looking up at the clear sky, searching for stars and observing the moon.
Luckily for me, there was a full moon that night. We made a small campfire and sat around the fire, grilled potatoes and marshmallows, happily chatting with each other.
When the moon had risen high up in the sky, we all looked up, and started counting stars. I had never seen so many stars in the sky as I did that night. They twinkled while the moon shone brightly. At that moment, I felt at peace. My mind was blank; I wasn’t thinking of anything else, all my sadness and disappointments disappeared. All I thought of was that I was content in that moment.
Vocabulary:
– pollution: harmful substances in the air or water.
Example: The air pollution in the city is getting worse every year.
– skyscrapers: tall buildings that can be used for offices or residential units.
Example: New York City has many tall skyscrapers.
– clear sky: a sky that is clear of any pollution or other things (like clouds) that make it hard to see the stars and the moon.
Example: Tonight, when I looked up at the clear sky, I saw millions of stars.
– observing: watching, looking at, seeing.
Example: The scientist will be observing the monkeys this afternoon.
– full moon: The phase of the moon at which the moon, as viewed from Earth, appears to be fully illuminated by the sun. The full phase marks the half-way point of a single revolution of the moon around the earth.
Example: Did you see the full moon last night?
– campfire: a fire that is made while camping and around which you sit to cook food, roast marshmallows and talk.
Example: My son is always in charge of making the campfire.
– grilled/to grill: a way of cooking something on a grill over a fire.
Example: We grilled some hamburgers and hot dogs last night for dinner.
– marshmallow: A light, spongy, very sweet confection made of corn syrup, gelatin, sugar, and often vanilla.
Example: Kids love to roast marshmallows while camping.
– chatting: talking.
Example: They have been chatting for over two hours already.
– to twinkle: to shine and sparkle, flicker, glimmer – what stars do. Stars twinkle.
Example: The stars twinkled in the clear night sky.
– to feel at peace: to be peaceful or feel peaceful, without any worries or concerns.
Example: He felt at peace when he was meditating.
– mind was blank: to have nothing in your mind, to not be thinking about anything at all.
Example: After staying up all night studying, my mind was blank during class.
– disappointment: frustration, something that you feel disappointed or dissatisfied about.
Example: His grandmother has suffered many disappointments throughout her lifetime, but now she is living the good life